Paradigm Shift

A list of activists including Richard Dawkins have called out for a day of international support and awareness for a young Femen activist who is facing punishment, or even death in her country of Tunisia. Her crime? The 19-year-old Tunisian, Amina (last name unknown) posted two topless photos of herself in protest against Islamic extremism and Sharia law. One photo shows her topless, smoking a cigarette, with “My Body is My Own and Not the Source of Anyone’s Honor” scrawled in Arabic across her chest. Another shows her raising her middle fingers to the camera, with “Fuck Your Morals,” written in English on her torso. According to the Femen leader in Paris Inna Shevchenko, Amina’s family have delivered her to a psychiatric hospital after she posted topless photos of herself to the Femen web page she created for the group in Tunisia. The head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Tunisia, Almi Adel, a Salafi Islamic preacher, has called for Amina to be “stoned to death” for the images. He cited the severity of the punishment as appropriate du to the “epidemics and disasters” that could be brought forth. He also warned that her actions “could be contagious and give ideas to other women.” Gasp what does this woman think, that women are people? Media reports say Tunisian secular law would punish her with up to two years in prison. Sharia law dictates 80-100 lashes. April 4th is the International Day to Support Amina there is also a petition to protect Amina at Change.org. Through Amina, and her persecution and her struggle, we witness the experiences of living in a culture in which the asymmetric race relations are a central organizing principle of a society. Femen said in a statement they were furious about the “barbarian threats of the Islamists about the necessity of reprisals against the Tunisian activist Amina…we are afraid for her life and we call on women to fight for their freedom against religious atrocities.” Keep your eyes open, and let Tunisia know we are watching. Keep the conversation growing on twitter by using #Amina. She needs your voice.